AMD Ryzen 7 1700 Processor Review

I have been covering the tech scene for a long time, over 10 years now. I cannot remember a time where there was so much hype for a product like we saw for AMD’s Ryzen CPUs. Let’s face it, for quite a while now AMD was not able to compete with Intel when it came to desktop processors. This inability to compete, especially in the enthusiast market, prompted AMD to completely redesign a new processor. This is not something that could just happen overnight, Ryzen has actually been in development for 4 years. AMD had a goal in mind, which was to bring AMD back into the minds of enthusiasts and system builders. I would say for the past 5+ years if you asked my advice on building a new PC I would have suggested an Intel processor. Can Ryzen change my opinion on that? Well today we get our first look at Ryzen, starting with the Ryzen 7 1700 processor. This is the 8-core, 16-thread processor which runs at 3.0 GHz and boosts up to 3.7 GHz with a TDP of only 65W. You get all of this for a very nice price of $329.99. Let’s get this chip in a system and see what it can do!

The Ryzen 7 Lineup
AMD’s Ryzen 7 CPU lineup is made up of three main processors. First you have the flagship Ryzen 7 1800X, then the Ryzen 7 1700X, and finally the Ryzen 7 1700. All three of these chips are 8-core, 16-thread chips. The 1700X and 1800X have AMD’s new XFR feature, which also means they have a higher TDP of 95W. The R7 1700 we are taking a look at today has a TDP of only 65W. Below you can see a graph of details on the Ryzen lineup compared to what AMD is setting them to compete against.

Packaging
Typically when we receive processors they either come in a retail package or a simple OEM package, but AMD wanted to do something special for Ryzen. Our processor sample came in a really cool wooden box that has the Ryzen logo etched into it. It was a cool thing to see when we opened the shipping box from AMD.

Opening the box up we were greeted by a message that said, “Your Ryzen is here” with the processor box sitting next to it.

Getting everything out of the box inside we also found the ASUS Republic of Gamers Crosshair VI Hero motherboard. This is the board we will be testing the Ryzen 7 1700 on, stay tuned for a review which will shortly follow this review.

The Ryzen retail box is what we saw leaked a little while ago. The box is is a dark grey on the front with the Ryzen logo in the center. In the bottom left corner you’ll see a “7” which denotes that this is a Ryzen 7 CPU. Ryzen 5 CPUs will have a 5 there and Ryzen 3 CPUs will have a 3 there, you get the idea. The side of the box is the Ryzen orange, which looks quite good.

Getting everything out of the box we have a smaller box which has the Ryzen 7 1700 processor and a small case sticker in it. There is also a small set of installation instructions. This is of course the version of the CPU that does not come with a cooling fan. The version of this CPU which comes with a cooler will come with the Wraith Spire (LED) cooler.

Getting the CPU out of package we can get a closer look. On the top of the processor there is a big Ryzen logo. In the top left corner there it lists the model number, which in our case is the Ryzen 7 1700.

Flipping the processor over we can take a look at the bottom. Its been a while since I’ve personally seen a processor with pins in it!

About Author

Bob Buskirk

About 10 years of computer experience. Been messing around with electronics since I was 5, got into computers when I was in highschool, been modding them ever since then. Very interested in how things work and their design.